Firefighting is already a treacherous job, but the conditions have worsened in the span of a decade. Situations have become more severe in nature and, as a result, have called for more drastic actions. Fire fighters lay down their life for others every day and ask for nothing.. With a job that receives little credibility and does not pay nearly as much as it should, the benefits of such a life-threatening career do not seem remotely close to being worth the strenuous amount of effort that it requires. Though some may choose to deny it, firefighting has now become one of the most dangerous occupations out there. Dangers with the career field of Fire Science start with the applying and regulating of rules and codes. A prime example is OSHA’s …show more content…
More often than not, fire brigades will try to cut corners on their budgets and purchase cheaper breathing apparatuses in an attempt to make an inexpensive purchase for the brigade. It is rather a cruel injustice inflicted onto its employees, though. The problem with these apparatuses is that they are made with cheap but heavy material, frequently causing fire fighters to lose their balance. Due to these inferior imitations, about eighty-thousand related injuries have been reported. The fact is that equipment and protection for fire fighters are designed more for preventing combustion and flames, not for perfecting a person’s balance. However, it is important that fire fighters stay on their feet in a fire because once he or she is down, he or she may never be able to get back up. Not only do these apparatuses cause a problem with stability, but they also are heavy in a general sense. They, along with the helmets, are meant to increase center of mass but also increase overall weight and width. This also causes the equipment to catch on foreign objects, sometimes literally holding the fire fighters back. In addition, fire fighters are supposed to carry hoses over one shoulder and possibly another tool for the job, one more balancing obstacle to overcome. Studies show that fire fighters are already tuckered out within eighteen minutes of training with the SCBAs and the rest of their other equipment for the career. “It is important to remain cognizant of the fact that altering PPE [personal protective equipment] to improve balance and mobility may involve a trade-off that might decrease protection from heat and fire or increase risk for other injuries (Rosengren, Hsiao-Wecksler, Horn).” With that said, compromise in general will not fit well with firefighting, an exhausting and endangering factor to the career that can lead to something disastrous if not soon